December 8, 2003	Monday	Shawwal 13, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 7: The Federal Investigation Agency has started monitoring some foreign missions to check their involvement in human trafficking, says Interior Minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat.

He said this while talking with reporters at a flower show here on Sunday.

The government, Mr Hayat said, received some reports about their indulging in human trafficking.

While denying having any “solid proof” in this regard, he said: “We have put some foreign missions under observation, forming special FIA teams to monitor their (missions’ staff) activities to ascertain their involvement in this regard.”

The interior minister, while confirming arrests of major travel agents involved in sending people abroad illegally, said: “An operation against such travel agents is underway.”

Referring to the possibility of an alliance between the government and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, he said such an alliance was vital.

“President Musharraf has fulfilled his responsibility by holding elections ... and now it is the duty of all parliamentary parties to prove that we are capable of running parliamentary government democratically,” the minister said.

About Javed Hashmi’s case, he said everyone found to be involved in the case would not be spare.

Referring to the chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami’s call for a movement against the government, he said any movement against the national interests would be crushed.

About provision of ministries to the PPP-Patriots in Punjab, he said the issue had been settled with the Punjab government that had assured about accommodating members of the PPP-Patriots in the next phase of the provincial cabinet’s expansion.

Rejecting allegations levelled by Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai about Pakistan sheltering Taliban, he said: “We have asked President Karzai to provide evidence about harbouring Taliban in Pakistan, enabling us to take action against them,” he said.

Advising President Karzai to avoid issuing such statements, the interior minister said such statements could breach fraternal relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

About the possibility of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s return to Pakistan, he said she should return to face cases against her.

The minister said there was no question of his returning to the PPP’s fold if Benazir Bhutto returned as he had never abandoned the party, adding that he still belonged to the party.

“If the Pakistan Muslim League-N thinks it had instituted fake cases against Asif Ali Zardari, why does it not confess its guilt before the nation,” he said.